Doctor Who Brand and Licensing Update

BBC Worldwide With over 55 years of history as the world’s longest running sci-fi television show, Doctor Who is a global franchise, watched in over 239 countries and with hundreds of millions of fans worldwide. At the heart of the franchise is the highly anticipated launch of Doctor Who Series 11.

The regeneration of the Doctor in the 2017 Christmas episode, as well as last year’s revelations about the new series, engaged with fans across the globe, as it was unveiled that Jodie Whittaker will play the first female Doctor in the show’s history. 2018 marks a true regeneration for the franchise, with a five year evergreen strategy built around a commitment to a solid content pipeline, delivered through platforms relevant to the BBC’s audiences.

The BBC will continue to work with world class partners, building an expansive digital and ancillary strategy and key annual marketing moments to create audience engagement. These strategies will grow youth audiences, engage families with young children, and deepen the property’s relationship with existing fans as the Doctor Who universe continues to expand. Doctor Who has a proven track-record in consumer products with over 4m Sonic Screwdrivers sold in the past decade, over 12m action figures sold since 2005, and over 18m DVDs sold globally.

As the Doctor embarks on a new era, the company states that current licensees are continuing to innovate and create future-facing products that will reflect the new series and reach wider audiences.

90 comments

it will go full on nearer when the show starts no doubt, in the meantime everyone is redesigning their branding with stuff being put on hold whilst that happens

we are already seeing all licence holders changing to the new logo on mass

Anonymous

June 8th, 2018 - 10:33pm

I suppose theres still some hope, its just we’ve only about 4-5 months till the show returns and the merch REALLY needs to pick up. If this rebrand doesn’t work, i think it will truly be the definitive end of any worth-while DW meechandise…

unless we have been told wrong I dont think there will be anything to make a page on sadly

Anonymous

January 10th, 2018 - 9:12pm

I hope this means a rate of merchindise like back in 2005
Where we had lot of character figures and DVDs. I hope for some new dvd releases like special editions and animations. Shada and Power are some of the best releases we have had in a long time. I hope they do more animations and a few blu rays of classic who, like five doctors

According to Matthew Warehouse at a recent US convention there is to be a special edition of Earthshock.

LastOfTheSonics

January 11th, 2018 - 7:21am

Unfortunately those days are long gone… Unless CO actually do something for once.

booboo

January 11th, 2018 - 7:57am

its down to lack of retailer interest in the last few years rather than CO do something

you look at every Doctor Who licence holder and all of them have curbed back considerably over the last 3 years

Ian

January 11th, 2018 - 8:14am

Agree Booboo, but promotion works two ways, BBC have been very poor at promoting the show over the last few years and CO, when they release anything are slow at getting it out.
Do you think the BBC and CO should be more reactive? Like having some figures out at the start of the series? No need to worry about spoilers. Example, we knew from the trailer of series 10 Missy was back, Nardole and Mondasian Cybermen.
I am hoping for a set with first Doctors Tardis and a David Bradley Doctor & a regen set, 12th & 13th Doctor…I can dream lol.

booboo

January 11th, 2018 - 8:46am

one of the big problems in the past was that Character were given limited info to work on (and sometimes wrong info for example ice warrior creature ) as they were trying to plan stuff without having seen any footage and the BBC are very hot on stuff not getting out.

To get to retail things have to planned now for Christmas for example so if its going to happen yes i think the BBC may have to be more flexible and yes for it to work stuff needs to be on the shelf at the start / during the show when the hype is at its highest especially if we are looking at “toys”.

Generally Retailers and manufacturers do there planning or show their planned ranges and set their budgets for the year in January hence the toy fair.

Lets be honest here as well the 5″ range started as a toy range but lost that title 5 years ago as “toy buyers” stopped buying and fell away and it evolved into a limited collectors range.

as for promotion, well it gets massive exposure on social media and I saw plenty of trailers, Death in paradise for example gets much higher viewing figures but no where near the same attention.

Anonymous

January 11th, 2018 - 9:55pm

I do hope for a rerelease of DVD’s like web of fear and the underwater menace

Moodbeam

January 10th, 2018 - 6:08pm

The real key thing here is that it’s ‘built around a commitment to a solid content pipeline’ which means that they’re committing themselves to deliver enough content in the next five years to keep the merchandise cart rolling. *Hopefully* that means that we won’t be getting anymore ridiculous breaks where the series is either split or pushed back by an entire year. I think Moffat took on far too much with Who and his other projects and I’m hoping that the reason we had to wait so long for Chibnall to took charge (and the reason that the BBC were willing to wait almost two years!) is because he has committed himself to delivering a series every year. That would also explain why they have cut the episode numbers again as they always found thirteen (and a Christmas special!) difficult to manage.

Only the first break had anything to do with Steven Moffat, the rest were BBC meddling (and some rather malicious attacks on Moffat which I’m sure you can read about elsewhere in depth).

Blungering Hinklesburn

January 11th, 2018 - 9:59am

I’m curious about that part in brackets, Anonymous. What do you mean by “malicious attacks” on the Moffmeister?

Larry

January 10th, 2018 - 4:58pm

I really would not get your hopes up for anything soon. 2019fall maybe. I am a retailer in North America and Ann my licensed vendors have not added new items for 2 years. The year off the Capaldi took killed any momentum. I feel everyone is going to wait until after the next series before committing to new. Those asking about evergreen, s licensing term for ongoing program that is not specifically tied to the characters of the day . Evergreen would be TARDIS,Dalek,etc

yes much is due to UT demise and we have yet to see anything Doctor Who from seven20 apart from a mug

This evergreen thing suggest anything unconnected to the 13th Doctor will have a evergreen branding?

Waterloo Curve

January 10th, 2018 - 4:56pm

I’m not drawn to new series merchandise.

While I’ve brought some of the DVD releases, they’ve quickly found their way to a charity shop. I sat the last series out, and waited for the DVD. Other than the classic cybermen story, I didn’t enjoy it, a programme I’ve watched since 1979.

I can’t put a finger on it, but I’ve gradually lost interest since 2007. The story arcs are generally lost on me – they try to be too clever.

The nay-sayers regarding the future of the show, particularly those who make an issue out of a female Doctor seem to be getting fewer and fewer with each passing day, and those that remain against the change are starting to look more and more silly and petulant with each passing day.

The show has been in a spot of bother these past two years. Whilst the quality has been essentially good, the ratings have been rather less than amazing. It’s all felt a little stale. There hasn’t been a huge amount of buzz surrounding it.

That’s nobody’s fault. It’s not Capaldi’s fault, because he played the part amazingly. It’s not Moffat’s fault, because ANY show-runner would have struggled to keep the momentum going after eight years in charge. It just needed a change, rather urgently by series 10.

Which is EXACTLY what it’s getting! A massive revamp, which will hopefully restore it’s image in the public eye, and pull in higher ratings. Only time will tell if it works or not, but for the BBC to be displaying such confidence and investment in the show is an amazing sign. Imagine if they’d done all this during the 1980’s, as opposed to quietly dismantling it. Things might have turned very differently.

And yet a small (and diminishing) group of people seem to be up in arms about it all…what would they rather, that the show limped on in exactly the same format for a couple more years, before being “rested”? Is that what they’d prefer? Because I don’t think it could have lasted much longer.

This new era MIGHT (and it’s still very much a might) improve the show’s performance. And even if it didn’t- it’s better to try and fail, than to not try at all (and still fail).

I’m right in theory, but of course only time will tell if all this effort in the revamp actually pays off. I’m hopeful, and quite optimistic that it will.

Anonymous

January 10th, 2018 - 12:12pm

A 5 year plan? BBC seem confident the show is going to last that long, it could all come crashing down around them, if the new doctor does not take off. the show has been on a downwards spiral for the last few years, and how many series these days go beyond 11 or so series.

I take the “5 year evergreen” strategy to mean all year around or everlasting activity of some sort to keep interest up so the last thing they would look at is a break.

Ian

January 10th, 2018 - 10:18pm

We had a break in 2016. If it hadnt of been for Steven Moffat we would not of had a Christmas special in 2016 or 2017 or a series this year. As for this evergreen thing…its like a branding i think. I googled it and found it has been done for Spider-Man. I am sorry but I dont trust the BBC. Seeing is believing.

R1ch1e

January 10th, 2018 - 6:45am

Does this mean there would be a chance of a Doctor Who experience revival? Either in Cardiff or elsewhere?

they seem to have big plans some i’m sure something will happen but maybe not for a while

R1ch1e

January 10th, 2018 - 8:52am

Thanks Booboo. It’s all quite exciting!!

booboo

January 10th, 2018 - 9:03am

yes interesting times

Passing Traveller

January 15th, 2018 - 5:27pm

I think it’s more likely the Experience will become part of the BBC theme park opening some time in the next five years, since I imagine that’s why they didn’t renew the lease because Who is a big draw for such a location.

Totalbritish25

January 10th, 2018 - 3:10am

So hyped for this but I have to wonder booboo with new territories does this mean there may be hope for other country’s to get stuff with out having to go to comic shops or online like to see Walmart or even toy are us in other country’s get new figures, book, dvd and other stuff because that would be amazing I think booboo.
Just cant wait to see new figure finally though tha aren’t 3,75inch or repaints and rereleases or even repaints of rereleases.

So what is this evergreen style guide? Does it mean the packaging will be shades of green or that they will keep on releasing merchandise even when the show isn’t on air like how evergreen keeps its leaves all year round??

Big Finish has the license through 2026 I believe. Titan Comics has said it will suspend the current series long enough to get caught up. Then the comics will return in the summer or fall with a comic for the 13th Doctor as well.

Andrew Wisker

January 9th, 2018 - 6:48pm

Any new missing Episodes found? Or are we going to get more animated episodes like Power of the Daleks and Shada ?
Also can’t wait for the new series

“building an expansive digital and ancillary strategy and key annual marketing moments to create audience engagement”, does this mean there is a possibly for more official conventions and making the franchise available more digitally? I would love to see Classic Who on Netflix

Classic Who used to be on Netflix a few years ago. Not every episode just the main few. I vaguely remember watching Remembrance of The Daleks on there. My best guess is that it wasn’t popular so they removed it

Pip

January 9th, 2018 - 5:58pm

So it’s as we thought; a complete rebrand aimed at getting the merchandise back on track too. Also, we keep hearing about this ‘five year plan.’ I do wonder if Jodie has been contracted for five years with it so that they don’t have to deal with another regeneration in it. I would speculate though, from what has been said, that they’re giving the show five years to get back in track. My guess is that if it doesn’t work it will be dropped again.

Highly unlikely the BBC would sign anyone on a 5 year five contract especially if the lead doesn’t work out. I think they negotiate on a year by year basis. Only 2 Doctors made more than 3 full seasons and its Tom Baker and Pertwee. I don’t count Tennant because 2008-2010 were specials.

Pip

January 9th, 2018 - 10:28pm

Pretty sure that both Matt and Capaldi were contracted for three series each.

Anonymous

January 10th, 2018 - 5:32pm

i dont think the bbc will drop dw in 5 years time given that it doesn’t really have much going on in the sci-fi category

Jordan Scott

January 9th, 2018 - 5:57pm

Wow this actually seems really positive, hoping for at least a couple S10 figures as the “relaunch” is coming into fruition.

The relaunch will be later this year (late summer/early autumn/fall) to coincide with series 11 and its probably fair to assume that most of the merchandise under the revived brand will be based on series 11.

I’d say our best hope of series 10 figures is just a very small wave (maybe 3-5 figures max.) Released quitely as online exclusives aimed mainly at the die hard completist collectors out there, but still, this would be better than nothing.

WouldYouLikeAJellyBaby?

January 9th, 2018 - 7:05pm

I don’t see why we shouldn’t get a small wave of figures from Series 10 before the relaunch in autumn for Series 11 as we’ve seen that a figure of Bill “may” be coming and in all the time it’s taken to be developed Character must’ve made at least two more figures to be sold in a wave along with it. It would be pointless to not see it sooner rather than later along with some other characters and it would make more sense for the relaunch to include characters specifically from Series 11 instead of figures from both series’.

Anonymous

January 9th, 2018 - 5:30pm

Does this mean that there is going to be a Bill Potts 5.5″ Figure soon ???

the article is written by toyword magazine with information supplied by BBCWW so what you read is accurate.

Anonymous

January 9th, 2018 - 6:17pm

I saw page 58, but I couldn’t see all of the infomation that you have put on here? 🙂

booboo

January 9th, 2018 - 6:24pm

if you are referring to the advert we mention that’s on page 69

This is a BBCWW advert for licensing enquires only

Anonymous

January 9th, 2018 - 6:25pm

Oh never mind it is all there I misread it, sorry 🙂

LastOfTheSonics

January 9th, 2018 - 5:28pm

“More than 11 hours of new content in 2018”

I presume this is referring to Series 11, so does that mean we’re getting 10 episodes + a separate Christmas Special? That still doesn’t add up as each episode minus the first is 45 minutes long, and it says “more than” anyway, so are we getting more additional episodes? Or is this not referring to Series 11 at all?

to be honest FPi have been steering clear of Doctor Who except for funko for a while now, they haven’t stocked any of the items released recently

DoctorOsgoodTARDIS

January 9th, 2018 - 4:29pm

“The licensing team has also seen renewed interest in the brand from new partners across new categories, and in new retailers in new territories” Does this mean it is pretty safe to assume new figures will be coming

I think it means that now there is a female lead character we might get merchandise not considered before

I also read into this this they are going to try to appeal to the family / younger audience again.

Nuallain

January 9th, 2018 - 5:19pm

Well I guess, for example, the Doctor now has a pretty distinctive earring (a cluster of stars at the top of the ear joined by a chain to two hands in a handshake on the lobe) so there’s an opportunity for replicas aimed at girls in the 11-14 age bracket of a type that wasn’t there before.

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